Ironing machine



p 1942- N. HURLEY, JR 2,295,112

IRONING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1940 L :NvENfoR.

N m Edward M Hurley, Jr:

ATTORNE.

Patented Sept. 8, 1942 Edward N. Hurley, in, Wheaton, m, assignor to Electric Household Utilities Gorporation, @hicage, EL, a corporation or minois Application April 20, 1940, Serial No. 330,657

(or. east) 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to ironing machines of the type including a power driven rotatable roll supported totally at one end, and a shoe mounted for movement into and out of cooperative engagement with the roll.- -More particularly, the present invention is directed to a novel form of auxiliary supporting apparatus located or positioned relatively to the ironing machine so as to constitute an auxiliary support for the overhanging or marginal portions of a piece of flatwork during the process of ironing the same.

In ironing flatwork of substantial size, such as sheets, tablecloths, and other large size articles, on present types of domestic ironing machines, it has been found diificult to manipulate and adjust the piece of work material during the process of ironing, so that the overhanging or marginal portions thereof beyond the ends of the shoe do not become soiled, and also to preclude bunching or snagging on parts of the machine so as to impair the ironing operation on the portion of the material being worked upon. Moreover, when a portion of a large piece of material has been ironed and is then shifted in the machine to permit ironing of another adjacent portion, it has been found difiicult to properly manipulate the ironing operation of such portions of the material so as to preclude impairment of the ironed finish imparted to the area or portion of the material previously ironed.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel form and arrangement of auxiliary supporting apparatus for use in connection with an ironing machine of the character indicated, so as to properly support the overhanging marginal portions, extending beyond the ends of the shoe, of a piece of material being ironed.

Another object is to provide a novel form of apparatus of the character indicated which may be quickly and easily detachably connected -to the ironing machine.

A further object is to provide an improved form of auxiliary supporting apparatus of the character indicated, which is a relatively simple construction and extremely economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, r

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an ironing machine provided with auxiliary supporting apparatus embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the manner of connection of one of the auxiliary. supports to the free end of the roll of the ironing machine, taken substantially as indicated at line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the connection of the auxiliary support illustrated in Fig. 2, taken as indicated at line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the bayonet socket connection, taken substantially as indicated at line i-i on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view through a portion of the housing, at the opposite end of the ironing machine, showing the manner of detachable connection of the auxiliary supporting rod thereto.

In the drawing, I have shown an ironing machine including a supporting base or platform i0, within which, it may be understood, is enclosed suitable motor and driving mechanism.

[Extending upwardly from one end of said base is a housing I I terminating at its upper end in a horizontally disposed tubular body l2 onwhich is supported a rotatable roll I4 which is provided with suitable padding material. Cooperating with said roll is a shoe 15 supported adjacent its middle on an upright arm Hi, the lower end of which extends through the base Ill and is connected to operating apparatus with which is "associated a control handle H, by virtue of which the shoe is caused to be moved into and out of cooperative engagement with the roll.

Mounted axially within the roll is a drive shaft I8, which extends into the tubular portion l2 of the housing, and may be understood to be operably connected by suitable driving means within said housing II for actuation by the driving mechanism enclosed within said base Ill. The finger piece 20, it may be understood, is connected to the driving mechanism forcontrolling the transmission of motion to the drive shaft and by virtue of which the roll I4 is caused to rotate.

Referring now specifically to the apparatus constituting the present invention, I provide the opposite ends of the ironing machine, in alignment with said roll N, with a pair of members, in the form of rods, indicated at 22 and 23, disposed in substantially horizontal planes and which, for convenience, are herein shown in sub-- stantially axial alignment with the roll. These rods are each detachably connectible'at one end to opposite end portions of the ironing machine; namely, the free end of the roll I 4 and to the 55 housing ll. When'the rods are not in use, they may be inserted in apertures 24 formed in one of the end walls of the base I, as seen in'Fig. 1

.is mounted a coil spring 28. Each of said end portions of the rods is provided with a transversely extending bayonet pin 21, force-fitted into holes in said rods, with the opposite end portions thereof projecting short distances exteriorly of the surface of the rods. Said pins, as may be seen in the drawing, extend through a coil of the springs 26, for anchoring said springs in the cavity in the end portions of said rods. Said pins of the respective rods 22 and 23 are adapted for detachable cooperative engagement in bayonet slots 28 formed in the end of tubular sleeves designated at 28 and 30, respectively. The tubular sleeve 28, with which the rod 22 is detachably engageable, is force-fitted onto a reduced end portion 3| of the roll drive shaft I8, as seen in Fig. 2;

while the sleeve 30, with which rod 23 is detachably engageable, is force-fitted into an aperture 32 formed in the end wall of the housing I I. The spring for the rod 22 is engageable with the end of the reduced portion 3| of said roll drive shaft, while the spring for the rod 23 is engageable with the bottom of the recess or opening 32 in the housing. Upon insertion of the ends of the rods in the respective tubular sleeves, with the pins 21 entering the slots 28, the springs 28 become compressed, and upon slight rotation of the rods therein, the pins move into interlocking engagement in the bayonet slots 28, to secure said rods firmly in supporting position.

By virtue of the construction herein disclosed, the rods 22 and 23, when mounted in operative position on the ironer, serve to provide an auxiliary supporting surface for the overhanging or marginal portions, beyond the ends of the shoe, of

large pieces of material, such as sheets, etc. that are being ironed, and either one or both of said rods may be used at a given time. It will be apparent that the auxiliary supporting rods reduce the labor of ironing large articles, such as tablecloths, sheets, and the like, and relieve the operator of considerable work and care in manipulae tion of the overhanging marginal portion of such articles during the process of ironing. This arrangement of auxiliary supports also precludes the possibility of snagging of such portions of the material on portions of the machine during the ironing operation. Another advantage of this arrangementresides in the fact that there is less possibility of soiling oi the overhanging marginal portion of the pieces of material being ironed be! cause of adequate support being provided for such portions during the ironing operation. It will also be manifest that this novel auxiliary supporting arrangement tends to preclude impairment of the ironed finish to portions of the material ironed after such material has been shifted in the ma chine for ironing another adjacent area.

Although I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is capable of modification and re-arrangement without departing from the spirit'and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise form herein disclosed, except as it may be so limited in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a portable ironing machine including a rotatable roll and a cooperating shoe, the combination of a base element of substantial height and of generally oblong form, a housing element mounted on the base element and enclosing power drive connections to and providing sole support for said roll at one end thereof, one of said elements being provided with a rod receiving socket, and a supporting rod adapted to be removably mounted in said socket in a position to extend laterally in a substantially horizontal plane to constitute an auxiliary material support, the end wall of said base element being provided with a rod receiving aperture, whereby said rod, when not in use, may be telescoped through said aperture and supported within said base element.

EDWARD N. HURLEY, JR. 

